NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Headlining a lethal assault,
Caroline Hughlett erupted for two goals and a pair of assists while carrying the third-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team to a 5-0 victory over Mary Washington on a chilly Wednesday evening at Jennings Family Stadium.
Against the Eagles, Hughlett had a hand in four of the squad's five goals while matching her career-high with six total points. With that performance, she wrapped up the day with 98 career points, vaulting past former legend Haylie Black for the fourth-most in program history. She also became just the fourth Captain to reach 30 career assists, joining Black as well as her sister
Courtney Hughlett and CNU Hall of Famer Belle Tunstall.
Rounding out the goal-scorers,
Riley Iasiello opened the action with the game-winner on a fast-break in the waning moments of the first period, while
Gigi Stephan and
Courtney Hughlett added second-quarter tallies.
On the other side of the field, Christopher Newport limited the opposition to only four total shots while registering the squad's 11th shutout of the season. The Captains have not allowed a goal over the past 360 minutes of action dating back to September 30. That is currently the fourth-longest streak in school history.
With the victory, the Captains improved to 13-1 on the season, while the setback dropped Mary Washington to 11-5.
Early on, CNU put together another defensive clinic throughout the first quarter. Keeping a tight lid on the Eagles,
Kelly Via disrupted a quick surge at midfield before
Kendall Gibson stamped out a pair of runs up the left sideline. Moments later, Via turned away a streaker during a one-on-one duel in the 10th minute before
Lindsey Loar jumped a passing lane and intercepted a feed between two Eagles along the defensive 25.
Later in the stanza, Mary Washington had a dangerous 2-on-1 developing, but
Kate Engle ran stride-for-stride with an attacker down the left sideline to prevent any damage. Then,
Avery Mast knocked away a bouncer at the top of the arc,
Courtney Hughlett snagged one on the left side of the circle, and Stephan threw up a roadblock to stymie a push along the baseline.
Entering the final minute of the period,
Emma Weber and
Maddy Gagnon badgered an Eagle in the left corner. Swarming the attacker, Gagnon deflected the ball before Weber came away with possession.
Flipping the field in seconds, Weber handed the ball back to Gagnon, who showed tremendous touch to tap it around the outstretched stick of a defender while leading
Caroline Hughlett on a breakaway up the boundary. Flying up the field, Hughlett eventually centered the ball to Iasiello, who was cruising down the middle of the turf.
After collecting the pass, Iasiello pulled to her left, drew the goalie out of the cage, and sliced a shot just inside the left post for the game's first goal.
In the second period, the visitors tried to respond, but the Captains kept blanketing the field.
Caroline Hughlett knocked down a liner near the right side of the arc to kill an early rush. Later,
Calli Martin swiped a pair of feeds along the left sideline, including a nice pick at the defensive 25.
After that point, the offense took over. In the 21st minute, Mast kept possession while being hounded by a pair of defenders near the left boundary. Eventually, she slipped free, spun around a third Eagle, and connected with
Caroline Hughlett. After dribbling through a crowd, Hughlett pulled up and planted a seed into the bottom right corner of the cage for her first strike.
Off the restart, Mast collected a looping feed along the sideline before firing her own aerial up the turf to
Courtney Hughlett. Working quickly, Hughlett blasted the ball into the circle as Iasiello and Weber battled two defenders in front of the cage. Although the defense held up for a brief moment, the Captains came away with a corner.
On the ensuing play, Stephan inserted the ball to
Courtney Hughlett, who handed it to her sister. With some room,
Caroline Hughlett punched it back to Stephan, who ripped a rocket from the left side of the circle for her third goal of the season.
Putting the finishing touches on the first half, Christopher Newport slapped one more goal on the board in the 27th minute. After
Ellen Gallagher poked the ball away from a Mary Washington attacker, she burst in the opposite direction. Flashing her vision, she saw
Courtney Hughlett breaking free inside the circle.
Taking advantage, Gallagher sent a pass through three Eagles. On the receiving end, Hughlett corralled the feed and went with a top-shelf tracer over the goalie's left shoulder for the team's fourth goal.Â
After the break, UMW orchestrated a series of scoring opportunities in the third frame, but Christopher Newport slammed the door on every attempt. First,
Courtney Hughlett cleared a dangerous bouncer out of the circle before Mast picked off a turnaround try on the inside. Later,
Ellie Nuckols plucked the ball right off the stick of an attacker near the baseline and flipped it out of harm's way.
Still marching forward, the Eagles came storming back down the field at the end of the period. Holding up against the onslaught, Nuckols blocked a shot from point-blank range. Although the visitors eventually generated a corner,
Caroline Hughlett applied immediate pressure at the top of the arc before Gibson escorted an off-target shot past the left post.
With little left to prove, the Captains added a few more highlights in the final frame. First, on the offensive side, CNU struck one last time in the 50th minute. Off a corner, Nuckols inserted the ball to Martin, who blistered a one-timer from the top of the zone. Although the initial shot was deflected by a defender, Loar pounded away on the inside.
Miraculously, the Eagles were able to hold up against the assault and nearly cleared the zone, but
Caroline Hughlett grabbed the ball and popped a shot into the top right corner of the cage to cap off her six-point showcase.
Still focused on securing the shutout, the defense came back and thwarted Mary Washington's last opportunity. During a late surge in the final minute, Gibson raced back to prevent a fast-break opportunity before Via caught up to the play and deflected an attempt in the left corner to ice the 5-0 victory.
Overall, Christopher Newport held a 39-4 advantage in shots and a 12-1 edge in corners.
Ella Fallen earned the win after making a save in the first half before
Anna Mosciano closed out the festivities with 23 minutes of scoreless work after the break.
CNU will wrap up the regular season on Sunday when the Captains host Marian at 11 a.m.
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